Many devices include electric motors for operation. For example, motor vehicles often have powered seats, powered adjustable pedals, powered windows, powered sun roofs, powered doors, and/or powered lift or tail gates. Each of these devices is typically operated by DC motors. Powered motor vehicle seats often are adjustable in several directions such as, for example, in a forward/rearward direction and a vertical direction. The user typically engages a switch that activates the motor to move the seat in the desired direction and releases the switch to deactivate the motor when the seat reaches a desired location.
While these devices may provide adequate results in adjusting the seats, the movement can be undesirably slow at times. For example, movement can be undesirably slow when the user desires to move the seat an extended distance, when the seat is moved for ingress or egress of the user, and/or when the seat automatically moves to better protect the occupant if an imminent crash of the motor vehicle is detected by sensors. The relatively slower movement of the seat is desirable during normal operation of the seat so that the user can make fine adjustments to the seat position. The different speeds could be obtained by utilizing multi-speed motors, multiple motors, and/or larger motors but there is an ongoing desire in the industry to reduce size, weight, and/or cost of these devices. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved system and method for controlling motor vehicle seats.